Summer’s Last Hurrah: A Nostalgic 90s Labor Day

Because we all want to feel that end-of-summer joy that the 90’s brought us.

Labor Day weekend always felt like the last hurrah summer — the smell of hot dogs on the grill, popsicles dripping down your wrist, and trying to catch lightning bugs while we ran barefoot in the yard. I think so many of us crave that easy-going, life-is-good feeling that our childhood summers gave us, so I wanted to channel that for summer’s grand finale weekend this year. I really leaned into that 90s backyard nostalgia including all the classics we grew up on, just with a slightly prettier, grown-up edit. Keep reading for tablescape and menu inspo, and printable place cards, invites and menus that will make you want one of those popsicles that cut the sides of your mouth ASAP.

Décor:

It’s funny to curate 90’s décor because absolutely nothinggg was curated in the nineties. It was all hodgepodge, but somehow came together to create a cozy, blue-jean masterpiece. I wanted to lean into the cute chaos with this décor, so there’s tons of gingham, ribbon, pennant banners, and integrating what you’re serving for dinner into the décor. Check out the Pinterest board for inspo, and shop my favorite finds on my Amazon Storefront (paid links).

Bonus: If you’re looking for a fun floral arrangement, check out my video on how to DIY a hydrangea arrangement with American flags.

Mains: No need for anything fancy here: just grill up some hamburgers and hot dogs. There’s a reason you don’t mess with the classics! If you’re looking for a way to elevate, make your own relish.
Sides: Pasta salad with Italian dressing, potato chips in big bowls, watermelon slices on a tray. And of course, it’s not summer without fresh corn on the cob. Ahhh… brings back messy summer memories.
Drinks: Homemade lemonade, class bottle Cokes, and any kind of beer that’s not craft beer. We didn’t do that in the 90s!
Dessert: Ina Garten’s classic flag cake to bring that patriotic flare, ice cream sundaes, a yellow cake with chocolate frosting (must be store-bought), or any kind of frozen treat you could have bought from the ice cream truck.

Creating the Atmosphere:

Lawn Games: It’s time to bring back the slip n’ slide (just be careful not to throw your back out, we were born in the actual 90s LOL), water balloon fights, or classic cornhole.
A Perfect 90’s Playlist: Nothing makes us nostalgic for the nineties like class 90s bangers. Check out my 90’s Summer Cookout playlist to be instantly transported.
Capture the moment: Grab a disposable camera and some sparklers to capture the magic of your sweet summer evening.

Printables:

I created some editable invitations, menus, and place cards for you to really bring that nostalgic nineties feeling home. Click here to purchase the templates (only $4!) and then you can customize and download everything on Canva. Send me a message if you have any trouble, and please tag me if you use them so I can see how you chose to bring a 90’s summer to life.